Articles
A look at air-to-water heat pump systems
May 31, 2018 John SiegenthalerHeat pumps are destined to carve out an increasing percentage of future residential and light commercial HVAC market. This trend is based on the convergence of market drivers such as increasing electrical generation by utility scale photovoltaics and wind turbines,…
Sorting through the finer points of AC and DC voltages
May 30, 2018 Curtis BennettWe all know, young or old, what comes to mind when we see the word Thunderstruck: AC/DC. This serves two purposes here, one is that the band is awesome and two, it is a good segue into the next Electricity…
Thermostatic mixing valves: Applications in plumbing and hydronic heating
May 30, 2018 Robert WatersAre thermostatic mixing valves for plumbing or hydronic heating? Well it turns out they are for both. The same valve can be found in the domestic hot water supply system, as well as the control valve for a hydronic heating…
Radiant heating and cooling: The 3.2 million dollar question
May 29, 2018 Robert BeanI believe a good chunk of the architectural, building and HVAC industry is unaware that a few years ago California’s Center for the Built Environment (CBE, UC Berkeley) got a big cheque to carry out extensive research on radiant cooling…
Canada’s marijuana industry won’t leave HVAC contractors in the smoke
May 28, 2018 by Jillian MorganAs cultivators and consumers await the legalization of recreational marijuana in Canada late summer 2018, opportunities grow for HVAC contractors. In March 2018, there were 97 licensed medical cannabis facilities nationally, more than double the number in March 2017. As…
Beyond aesthetics: Accessibility at the forefront
May 17, 2018 by Jillian MorganAccessible home design fuels an evolution of the kitchen for homeowners and of installation practices for plumbing contractors.
Ductless heat pumps: A better split decision?
May 15, 2018 Ian McTeerAfter learning about the latest computer technology during a school visit to the Ontario Science Centre in the 1980s my youngest son asked me if we were getting a fax machine. Hardly computer literate myself in those days, I told…
Common issues and installation errors in control systems – Part III
May 15, 2018 Mike MillerAs noted in Part I and Part II of this series (see HPAC February and March 2018), control systems are often blamed when something is not operating as expected. More often than not, if control systems do not perform as…
Minimizing sound and vibration in water-source heat pumps
May 14, 2018 Karl WashburnDynamic power is used to move air and refrigerant in HVAC/R equipment. One unavoidable result of this dynamic application of power is sound and vibration. In a water-source heat pump (WSHP), both the compressor and supply fan generate sound and…
Truck report: Demand prompts frequent updates
May 14, 2018 Jil McIntoshTrucks are the best-selling segment in Canada, and that is a bonus for those who buy them for work. With so much demand, they are being updated far more frequently than they have in the past. That can increase the…
AHR Expo 2018 draws record crowds
March 8, 2018 by Jillian MorganOPTIMISM IS UP Economic outlook among exhibiting HVAC/R manufacturers is on the upswing, according to an annual survey conducted by AHR Expo and ASHRAE. Among survey respondents, 89 per cent forecasted excellent or good growth – up 15 per cent…
Unharnessed power: Blazed trails and broken barriers mark the journey into the trades industry for women
March 8, 2018 by Jillian MorganWhen Siân Smith presented the top nine most influential moments of her life and career, she was met eye-to-eye with 130 women – cellphones off, side conversations muted and attention to the podium. Smith was invited to be keynote speaker…
New products, trends and technology at Interior Design Show Toronto
March 8, 2018 by Jillian MorganInterior Design Show (IDS) Toronto celebrated its 20th year with a look to the future. The showcase theme Future Forward focused on elements of design that have contributed to an evolution of the architectural and design industry. In the plumbing…
What’s new with HRVs and ERVs?
March 7, 2018 Ian McTeerIn the fall of 1992, a self-employed colleague of mine rented a single family, two-story, detached house in Scarborough. He had been victimized by the severe recession wrought, in part, by the collapse of the Canadian housing market bubble in…
A basic pellet boiler retrofit
March 6, 2018 John SiegenthalerOver the last four years I have been reviewing submittals for proposed heating systems using pellet boilers. They come from heating professionals ranging from contractors to professional engineers. These submittals are required to participate in an incentive program that offers…
Mechanical room retrofit: Combo unit solution to venting, space issues
March 6, 2018 Steve GoldieFriends of mine were recently faced with a decision when their combination boiler/DHW heater refused to provide either. Now this should not have come as a complete surprise as the unit frequently needed servicing over the past few years and…
Backflow prevention: Protecting our water supply
March 6, 2018 Robert WatersIn today’s modern world, maintaining the supply of safe, clean drinking water can be challenging with so many potential chemical contaminants. In addition, there are many different ways that potable water systems can be cross connected with other systems. Regulated…
Making the transition to low GWP refrigerants
March 4, 2018 Brian S. SmithCurrently, the HVAC/R industry is undergoing a third paradigm shift in regulating refrigerants–this time the transition is specifically aimed at addressing climate change and greenhouse gas emissions. The earlier two transitions from CFCs to HCFCs, then from HCFCs to HFCs,…
Building performance and comfort: Human factors and their influence
March 3, 2018 Robert BeanOver the course of your career you have probably used a number of strategies to compete for projects. Maybe your choice de jour was to do battle using a lowest price model. Maybe you got tired of dealing with headaches…
Taking the mystery out of electricity in HVAC
March 2, 2018 Curtis BennettHow many times have you heard someone say “Who let the smoke out?” in a mechanical room. You see the infamous “black smoke” come out of a piece of electronics and everyone starts pointing fingers. We have all done it.…
Getting it right – part II: Troubleshooting hydronic controls
March 1, 2018 Mike MillerAs it was noted in Part I of this series (see HPAC February 2018), control systems are often blamed when something is not operating as expected. More often than not, if hydronic controls do not perform as needed, something happened…
Virtual reality: A new frontier for HVAC training
February 23, 2018 Robert WatersWhen most people think of Virtual Reality (VR), they often think of video games and big, geeky looking goggles covering most of the user’s face. That perception is about to change. The world of VR is exploding with new applications…
Tax planning tool in CRA’s sights
February 23, 2018 Hank BulmashIn 1982, a businessman named Melville Neuman had a bright idea. He thought he had figured out a way to split income with his wife using a family holding company (holdco). Neuman had his wife incorporate a company. She took…
Boiler modulation – is more better?
February 23, 2018 David ConnorsThe benefits of boiler modulation are threefold; it reduces cycle losses, it reduces the wear on the components, and it can (but not necessarily as shown later in this article) result in higher thermal efficiencies. But aside from the benefits,…
Lowering the bar – part I: Modifying high-temp distribution systems
February 23, 2018 John SiegenthalerWhat characteristic do solar thermal collectors, hydronic heat pumps and thermal storage tanks supplied by biomass boilers have in common? Answer: They all perform best when coupled to distribution systems that operate at low supply water temperatures. But that is…
Getting it right – part I: Troubleshooting hydronic control systems
February 23, 2018 Mike MillerControl systems are often blamed when hydronic systems are not operating properly. While that may sometimes be the case, always look at what else may be influencing performance. While control systems are not flawless, consider that they are developed in…
Lowering the bar – part II: Using heat emitters
February 23, 2018 John SiegenthalerIn Lowering the bar–part I, we discussed how to size supplemental heat emitters that allow the supply water temperature to an existing distribution system to be reduced. The next step is to pipe those supplemental heat emitters into the existing…
Traditional to digital marketing for HVAC, plumbing businesses
February 23, 2018 Jillian MorganJames Memije and Aaron Bond often pose a simple question to new clients: “How did you find out about us?” Typically, the answer is Google. Memije and Bond are co-owners of Toronto-based AccuServ Heating and Air Conditioning. But other businesses…
Hybrid heat: One way to reduce costs
February 23, 2018 Ian McTeerI found this definition of a hybrid heat system, sometimes called a “dual-fuel system” in Wikipedia: “a hybrid heat system reacts to changing temperatures and automatically adjusts to the most efficient energy saving method available to heat or cool a…
Event to host largest ever education program
December 20, 2017 by HPAC MagazineThe 2018 ASHRAE Winter Conference takes place January 20-24 at the Palmer House Chicago with the co-sponsored AHR Expo being held January 22-24 at McCormick Place. The AHR Expo seminar program features over 120 sessions, including over 70 free one-…